Wheel suspension for motor vehicles



M18' 21, 1945r H. T. 'wooLsoN' ET AL 2,383,101

WHEEL SUSPENSION FOR MO;I0R VEHICLES original Filed Nov. 2,*1938 ATTORN EYS `led November 2, 1938, now

panying drawing in which:

`tion of the front end of a Patented Aug. 21, 1945 l )UNITED STATES i PATENT OFFICE WHEEL SSPENSION FOR.MOTOR VEHICLES Harry T. Woolson,` Detroit, Alexander G *Herres-l hoff, Grosse Pointe, HaroldA. Hicks, Detroit,

Glenn H. Parker, Wyatt, Detroit,

tion of Delaware Royal Oak,1and Raymond A. rMich., assignors to Chrysler t i Corporation, Highland Park, Mich., a corpora-P Original application November`2, 1938, `Serial No.

238,422, now Patent No.

2,270,572, dated J anu- I ary 20, 1942. Divided and this application May 31, 1941, Serial No. 395,994 Y i 2 Claims. (Cl.

This invention relatesto motor vehicles and refers more particularly to `improvements in wheel suspensions therefonand is a division of our copending` application, Serial No. 238,422,

issued January 2G, 1942.

One object of our invention is to provide a wheel suspension of theindependently sprung type affording improved riding qualities,` simplication in the operating parts `and substantial reduction inthe cost' of manufacture and assembly.

Further objects of our invention are to provide an independent wheel suspension comprising 'a parallelogram system of improved construction and operation andincorporating an` improved arrangement for journalling` an individual axle vmember on a parallelogram arm structure for `transmission of wheel loads an axial thrusts.

In carrying out the objects of our invention we preferably provide an oscillatory wheel carrying arm structure for each of theV wheels, this arm structure having afrarne supported portion and a wheel carrying portion. .The'frame supported portion extends generally transversely of the vehicle and is connected to the frame through one or more annuli of deformable torsionally resisting material, such as rubber composition, thereby providing torsion springing units which support the frame and which yield-` ingly -resist risingand falling movements of the associated wheels'.`

vAdditional features of our invention "reside in the novel combination and arrangement of parts more particularly hereinafter described in detail and claimed, reference being had to the accom- Fig. 1 is a top plan View of a typical side p0ring the invention. V

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevationalview takenas Patent No. 2,270,572, if

motor vehicle embody- Vmainingfground wheelsl of `the vehicle. `The ve` hicle `frame structure B `maybe formed as a structural part of the body or may be in the nature offa chassis adapted to mount `the body and *comprises-the pair Iof longitudinally extending channeled side members, one' `ofy which is shown at I0,` formounting'the Wheel supporting and `guiding means.

`The wheel A is rotatable in the usual manneron fa spindle `II `swivelly connectedfor steering movements by a king pin at I2 on a king pin receiving boss I3. arm Il for imparting steering movement to the associated The king pin boss I3 (Fig. 3) is carried at the outerendof anindependent` axle member I5 indicated by line 2,--2y of Fig, 1 and illustrating a typical wheel suspension as viewed from the side of the vehicle.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged view, partly in section.,'

taken on line 3`3 Aof Fig. `2-and showing one of the wheels together withitssupporting arm.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail view of the thread- 'ed thrust bearing at an individual axle, as indicated byline 4-4 of Fig. 3.,

Referring to the drawing, we have illustrated our wheel suspension system inconnection with a front steerable ground Wheel `A which is adapted to be supported and guided for rising and falling movement independently of the re- The uprightv member has its `which has its axis extendinginwardly as an extension of the axis of the associated spindle I-I-when the groundwheel'spositioned as in Fig. the axlel therefore extending in a direction transverselyof` the frame structure B. "Intermediate the length of the axle member I5;` the latter is formed With a'pair of spaced cylindrical bearing portions I 6 and `a threaded portion -I'I intermediate portions I6, the inner end of the axle being serrated at I8. Theparallelogram system comprises upper and` lower oscillating Wheel carrying arm structures C and` 'D respectively,` each of these arm structures extending generally longitudinally` of the `vehicle and being adapted for pivotal` support .on the frame structure B at their forward ends. The rear ends of the arm *structure C and D-are pivotally connected by aniupright memberE which V1."J`1'efer'a.bly extends upwardly from the arm structure D. o y

The upright member E has its `lower end engaged with the serrations I6 of the axle 4member "I5 so that this upright member is fixed against mdvement lwith respect to` the axle member.

upper end portion return-bent and terminates in an inwardly exjtending threaded shank I9 l positioned `generally abovethe lower end of the upright member, `The rear `end of theiupper arm structure C "has a fyoked terminal ZIIadapted to receive a bushing 2I1 formed with internal threads pivotally engaging the threads of shank' I9. A fastener 22 extends through the yoke portions of arm C and is adapted `to hold the bushing 2| inv position-R with respect to arm C. i

The forward end of arm structure C is pivotl ally supported by the frame structure through the intermediary of a hydraulic shock absorber Thespindle has `a steering Y wheerbycany Suitable typ@ of -steer- 'ngmechanism structure B.

In order to limit upward movement of the wheel A relative to the frame structure B,I the upright member E carries an inwardly projecting abutment 29 adapted to strike av rubber bumper 30 carried by the supporting bracket 3| which is secured to the side member IU.

Each arm structure D is shown as a build-up construction comprising an oscillatory. frame supported portion generally indicated atl 33 which extends generally transversely of the frame structure B. Each arm structure D is also formed with a wheel connecting portion 34 which is suitably secured to the portion 33 and which extends longitudinally of the frame structure and laterally outwardly therefrom, thus forming a cranklike portion offset rearwardly from the frame supported portion 33 and terminating in an end portion 35 which is hollow and cylindrical.

The arm structure D is adapted to take the vertical loads as well as the lateral loads acting between wheel A and frame structure B, leaving the arm structure C to function chiey as a guide member for the axle I5 in maintaining the caster angle of the king pin I2 constant during rising and falling movement of' the ground wheel A. The arm structure C also functions to take the brake thrust of the associated ground wheel, as will be readily apparent.

The cylindrical portion 35 rotatably journals the associated axle member I5 by bearings 38, preferably of the anti-friction roller type at the bearing portions I6. A thrust bearing is formed by engagement of the threads I1 with the internal threads of a bushing 39 which is-suitably fixed to arm portion 35 thereby forming a structural part of the arm structure D. As best shown in Fig. 4 sucient clearance is provided between s the interengaged threads so that the threads engage for thrust transmission only when axle member I5 is -subjected to axial thrust in either direction, the bearings 38 readily accommodating the slight axial movement of axle member r I5 in taking up the thread clearance. Thus the vertical loads are entirely transmitted by bearings 38 and axial thrusts are transmitted through threads I1 without thrusting bearings 38. In Fig. 4 the axle member I5 is illustrated as free from end thrust in either direction, the clearance at threads I1 being divided at each side of the threads.

- float the arm structure to yieldingly resist displacement thereof in directions vboth axially of the frame supported portion 33 as well as transversely of this axis of oscillation for the arm which extends generally transversely of the frame interengaged threaded portions structure. In the present instance we have so arranged the torsion units in association with each arm structure D as to provide a high degree of stability for each wheel A thereby preventing undesired displacements of the wheel while at the same time electively dampening shocks and vibrations which tend to produce harshness between the ground wheel and frame structure.

We do not limit our invention, in the broader aspects thereof, to any particular combination and arrangement of parts such as shown and described for illustrative purposes since various modifications will be apparent from the teachings of our invention and scope thereof as defined in the appended claims.

We claim: l. In a motor vehicle having a frame structure and a steerable ground wheel disposed adjacent thereto, an axle structure swivelly mounting said Wheel and extending inwardly therei'rom in a direction transverse to the vehicle, an arm structure pivoted to the frame structure having an end portion thereof adapted to receive. said axle structure, spaced bearings journalling said axle structure in said end portion and adapted to transmit thrust from said wheel to said arm structure in a direction transversely to the axis of said axle structure, said bearings accommodating limited displacement of said axle structure in the direction of its axis relative to said arm structure, said axle and arm structures having intermediate said bearings for thrust transmission from said wheel to said arm structure in a direction axially of said axle structure, said threads engaging with axial clearance sufficient to insure loading of said bearings for thrust transmission in the first rmentioned direction while accommodating thrust transmission from said wheel to said arm structure in the second mentioned direction.

f 2. In a motor vehicle having a frame structure and a steerable ground wheel disposedadjacent thereto, an axle structure swivelly mounting said wheel and extending inwardly therefrom in a direction transverse to the vehicle, means for supporting and guiding said axle structure from said frame structure including an arm oscillatably secured to the latter, and having a hollow portion adapted to receive said axle structure,

`bearing means journalling said axle structure in said hollow arm portion and adapted to transmit thrust from said wheel to said arm structure in a direction transversely to the axis of said axle structure, and a bushing in said hollow arm portion, said bushing and said axle structure having interengaged threaded portions spaced from said bearing means for thrust transmission Yfrom said wheel to said arm-in a direction axilally of said axle structure, said threaded portions engaging with sufcient clearance to accommodate limited axial movement of the axle structure relative to said hollow portion.

HARRY T. WOOLSON. ALEXANDER G. HERRESHOFF. HAROLD A. HICKS. GLENN H. PARKER. RAYMOND A. WYATT. 

